


Ghosted

by Lazarus76



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux Has No Chill, Armitage Hux is Not Nice, Ben solo is a good bro, F/M, Modern AU - University, Modern AU - present day, Past Regrets, hints of alcoholism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22074283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazarus76/pseuds/Lazarus76
Summary: Its Christmas. Hux isn't feeling festive. He's even less festive when his past begins to come back, forcing him to accept his misery.I'm aware this is a take on the theme of A Christmas Carol - its turning out slightly differently to what I expected.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Ghosted

Hux looked at his watch. 10.30pm. Grumbling, he picked up the decanter of whiskey by his elbow, swirled it, and poured a half measure into his tumbler. Picking it up, he took a sip, and then turned back to his lap top. Scanning the rows of figures, he began to type. 

"Still here?!"

Hux nearly jumped out of his chair. Turning, he saw Ben Solo, his erstwhile business partner. He blinked. "Ben, yes, I am. And you are here because...?"

"Because," Ben said, patiently, "Its the day called Christmas Eve, Rey and I invited you to dinner, and you didn't show. So now we've finished, I thought I'd come here, with yours." He placed a wrapped plate in front of the other man. "Lasagne," he said, by way of expectation. "We didn't want you to miss out."

"Well that's very generous of you," Hux said, coolly, "but as we have a major deadline coming up, and -"

"And its Christmas!"

Hux glared at him. "What does that have to do with anything?" He shook his head. "You do know that stock markets never sleep, don't you?"

He scowled. "Ben, at the moment, I am trying to make First Order one of the top blue chip companies in the country. You seem to have lost sight of that. You seem to think this is some kind of joke. But trust me, this is deadly serious to me.

Ben sighed. "Yeah. Its all serious to you. But c'mon, its Christmas Day tomorrow, I won't be in, neither will our employees, so why not take a break?" He looked at Hux. "Rey and I want you to come to dinner tomorrow. Please?"

"Tomorrow as well?" Hux looked at Ben, his lip curling. "I'm starting to think your girlfriend has a feeding fetish."

"No, she just feels sorry for sad, lonely bachelors," Ben retorted. "And tomorrow is not a good day to be on your own. Its certainly not a good day to be at work. Plus, Finn's coming with Rose-"

"That insufferable Poe Dameron isn't coming, is he?"

"No," Ben said, with finality. "Last minute work thing. Has to fly a charter holiday to the Maldives."

"So, I'll be the odd one out," Hux stated. He took a sip of whiskey. "Thanks, but no thanks-"

"-And Phasma-"

"What?!" Hux slammed down the tumbler. "Phasma? Its been, what, five years?!"

"Four and a half," Ben countered. "She's in town, I bumped into her, so we invited her."

Hux rubbed his face. "Wonderful. What a party list. You, your feeder girlfriend, her neurotic best friend and his overly chatty, happy, perky girlfriend, and an ex of mine who threatened to put a skewer through my heart." He picked up the tumbler again. "I cannot wait, Ben, I honestly cannot."

Ben stood up. "Fine." His voice was tight. "The others are heading over at about 2pmish. Rey's planning for us to eat at 3pm. In the evening, Mom's dropping round to say hello. She'd like to see you."

"Your mother? To do what? Nag me about how I'm getting older and should really be thinking about marriage and kids?" Hux swirled the amber liquid in the glass. "No thanks. I don't need Leia - I'm a perfect paragon of humanitarianism - Organa lecturing me."

At this, Ben stood up. "OK, Hux, you want to be here tomorrow, go ahead. But I'm not in the Office until the 2nd January. Day after Boxing Day, Rey and I are going to a resort. A holiday. Perhaps you should try one."

Hux glared. "I don't need a holiday," he hissed. "What I need is a business partner _who does their job_. Who doesn't try and fix me up on blind dates with my ex, and encourage his girlfriend to mother me. I don't need another lecture from your mother. Or you!"

Ben raised his eyebrows. "Wonderful attitude to have on Christmas Eve, Hux." He shrugged. "See you around."

Turning, the taller man walked out, letting the plate glass office door bang shut behind him. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It was close to 1am. Hux had finally left the office at quarter past Midnight, stopping off to pick up takeaway Chow Mein and a bottle of red wine. As he took off his suit jacket, he placed it over a dining table chair. Then headed into the kitchen to open one of the cupboards. 

As he pulled a plate, and cutlery out of the cupboard, he paused. He was sure he could hear a slight sound, footsteps. He shook his head. His townhouse was deserted, and he knew his cleaning lady had left hours ago. He grabbed a glass from the sink and filled it with tap water. Too much Scotch, he told himself, grimly. He needed to get a grip on that. That's what Rey was telling him. She'd made a comment when she'd dropped round at the office a few weeks ago. "Sure you wouldn't prefer a tea, Armitage?" "Don't you think you should mix that with water, Armitage?" Or she was monitoring his eating habits. Countless invitations to dinner. 

He slammed the glass down. Rey. Interfering little Rey. Just because she'd suckered Ben, she thought she could make demands on him. He grimaced, remembering when Ben had introduced him. She'd been so...perfect. Perfect teeth, perfect smile, perfect hair...and that little twerp Finn, who followed her around like an adoring little puppy. And his girlfriend Rose, who never stopped talking, and most of it rubbish. And Poe...Christ...

Hux took a deep breath. His doctor had warned him about his high blood pressure at his last appointment. In fact, she'd lectured him roundly on his health. 

"Your cholesterol is a little high," she'd informed him. "Which might sound strange to you - do you associate problems like that was heavier people?"

He'd nodded. 

"Well, if your diet is poor, it'll apply to you. Plus your blood pressure is a little raised." She looked at him. "How much sleep do you get? Go to the gym?" She'd then lowered her voice. "How much do you drink each day?" 

Hux had huffed at her. The gym, he'd responded, was a ridiculous invention for the narcissistic. As for sleep - well, stock markets never. As for drink, how dare she. A couple of glasses of whiskey a day...sometimes perhaps more than a couple, but it was generally a couple...

She'd cut him off. 

"Mr Hux, you're 36. You really need to start thinking about these things. Carry on like this - living on takeaway, too much alcohol, no exercise, no sleep - and you're a prime candidate for a heart attack at 50." She shook her head. "You need to think about it."

He'd shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with me."

She'd raised her eyebrows at that. "Mr Hux." Before he could move, a leaflet was passed across her desk, into his hand. He blinked and looked at it. Alcoholics Anonymous. 

"If there is a problem," she'd commented, "they're the people to call."

He'd thrown it angrily on the desk and stormed out. 

Hux settled into a kitchen chair, and closed his eyes, his fingers wandering round the water glass. He'd met Ben and Rey at their house that night, and informed them, laughing, of what the doctor had said. To his astonishment, they'd listened in near silence, until Rey spoke. 

"Well, she has a point," she'd said, cautiously. "I mean, just because you're thin, it doesn't mean you're in shape-"

At this, he'd grabbed his coat, and stormed out, letting the door slam behind him. The following day at work he'd barely spoken to Ben. 

Suddenly, he heard a noise. A whispering sound. _Armitage..._

Blinking, he shook his head. Perhaps he had too much whiskey, he thought ruefully, but it took the edge off. He took another sip of water, trying to fight the craving itch for the alcohol that was starting in the back of his throat. 

_Armitage..._

Louder this time. He put the glass down, and unfolded his legs. Standing up, he began to walk towards the kitchen door. As he pushed it open, he heard nothing. He shook his head. He needed that whiskey. 

_ARMITAGE!!_ suddenly there was a shout, and a bang on the front door. "Are you there?!"

He gasped. He knew that voice. But it couldn't be. He walked to the hallway, determined to only open it a crack, and convince himself he was hearing things. He carefully unlatched and opened the door. "Hello?"

"Armitage, will you open the bloody door, its freezing-"

"Pryde?!" Shocked, Hux unlatched fully and pulled the door open. "You're - here?"

Standing on the steps was an older man, dark hair greying at the temples, face etched with lines. He was wearing a long black trench, and black boots. He was visibly shivering. "Well, at last!"

"Come in," Hux croaked, unable to take in what he saw. The other man swept in, and stood aside whilst the door was latched up again. He then patiently followed Hux into the kitchen. 

"What's wrong, Armitage?" he asked, pleasantly. "You look a little...shocked."

Hux swallowed. "No-one's seen you for two years. You just...vanished."

Pryde raised an eyebrow. "Trust me, I wasn't going to hang around when that old goat started to harass me about my working practices." He sniffed. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Of course."

Pryde looked at him. "Don't suppose you've got any whiskey, Armitage?"

Hux stiffened. "Weren't you told to-"

"Stop drinking?" Pryde shrugged. "I know. But it takes the edge off, doesn't it, Armitage? Life is so much better when you're looking at the bottom of a glass. You don't have to see..."

"See what?"

"See what everyone else sees." Pryde's tone had turned unexpectedly serious. "See the things that are hard, and ugly to face. It all looks so much better when you've had two bottles of red, and half a decanter. "

Hux reddened slightly. "It was a special occasion..."

"But there are a few too many of them." Pryde's tone was gentle. "Even though you always try and share."

Hux was silent. 

"Ever wonder why you're ending up like this?" Pryde asked, his tone conversational. "Working all hours, few personal contacts, resenting your business partner, his girlfriend, and friends?"

The younger man shrugged. He tried not to dwell on his life. 

"Let's go," Pryde remarked, getting to his feet. 

"Go?" Hux asked, puzzled. "Go where?"

"Follow me." 

Hux stood, as Pryde walked through the kitchen door, and into the hallway. Suddenly, Hux blinked. It _was_ a hallway, but not the one he lived in. He looked at the carved wooden furniture, the expensive rugs, and the cold white walls. This was-

"My father's house," he said, quietly. Pryde looked at him and nodded. "It is. Come on."

As though in a trance, Hux followed Pryde again, this time into a spacious lounge. Sitting on a chair at the end, hunched over a small desk, was a woman, easily in her mid-forties. Her dark hair was swept up, and a glass of red wine sat on the table. She looked up, irritably. 

"Oh. You're back."

Hux opened his mouth to snap back that yes he was, this was his house, when suddenly a smaller, more timid voice spoke up.

"Yes, Elizabeth. I-"

"I thought your father paid the school to keep you there over the holidays?"

Hux whirled and saw his twelve year old self, dressed in an impeccable dark grey uniform, complete with blazer and red striped tie. The child spoke again. "I couldn't, Elizabeth. There was an outbreak of food poisoning, the Head Teacher said he'd call you-"

Elizabeth sniffed. "No. No he hasn't." She shrugged. "Oh well. Its a nuisance you're back. The very least you can do is stay out of the way. Your father returns from the Beiring Strait tomorrow, and we have several things to attend." She stood up. "You'll be all right."

She walked past him, her expensive designer heels clattering on the wooden floor. Hux took in the downcast visage of his younger self, then turned to Pryde. "That was a wonderfully festive holiday." His tone bit with sarcasm. 

"Who was she?" Pryde asked. "Your mother?"

Hux snorted. "No. Stepmother. I never knew who my mother was - I don't think my father made her acquaintance for long, either." He swallowed. "Elizabeth married my father when I was eight. Brigadier in the British Navy. I think she enjoyed the social circuit."

Pryde nodded. "I see. Tell you what, why don't we go into the Dining Room?"

Hux did so, mainly because he felt to argue with the other man was fruitless. This was, he decided, a dream. He'd fallen asleep, with his head on the kitchen table. Therefore, he rationalised, whatever he saw tonight was not real. It was just a memory, playing tricks. 

When he saw the scene in the Dining Room, his certainty began to falter. The younger Hux, by now easily 17, wearing a plain black suit, was facing his stepmother across the sleek, oak polished table. A sheaf of papers lay across it. She was glaring at him, holding a crystal tumbler. "There it is. He left you money. Now, you can get out." Her hand was shaking. “I'm his widow, Armitage, but I'm not, and never was, your mother.”

Pryde's voice caught Hux by surprise. “What happened to him?”

“Training exercise. Something went wrong.”

Hux paused. Had that been a catch in his voice? 

The younger Hux spoke. "This is my home, Elizabeth. My father's-"

"Oh please!" She was laughing, almost manically. "You've never been here. We sent you away. He sent you away. Your school fees are paid up until the age of 18. Then you can go to University. The money you've been left will cover that. But, I never want to see you here again. Ever."

Hux leaned forward. "Of course. I'm not sure I want to see you spend the rest of your life in bed with a packet of Temazepan, so you're also doing me a favour." He turned, preparing to leave. 

“You do know he was ashamed of you, don't you, Armitage? He didn't consider you his real son.”

Hux swallowed, flexing his hands. “I know, Elizabeth.” His voice had a toneless quality. “But, I never considered him to be a father, so I suppose we're both even.”

She called after him. "Clear all your things out, Armitage! Anything left, will be destroyed!"

The younger Hux paused again. “Elizabeth, nothing of mine is here.” He turned and faced her. “Nothing. Not a single thing. You've made that clear. This is not my home. You are not my mother. Let's hope we never see each other again.” 

Hux watched as his younger self walked out of the Dining Room door. "And did you ever see her again?" Pryde asked, quietly. 

Hux shook his head. "No." He swallowed. "After that day, I went back to school. Applied for University, won a scholarship to M.I.T. I felt going abroad was a good choice." He looked at Pryde. "I have no idea what happened to her. Or to the house. She probably sold it for drinking money."

Pryde nodded. "I see. What was boarding school like?"

Hux curled his lip. "Oh, it was wonderful. When I wasn't being bullied for being thin and ginger, I was being bullied for being clever." He looked at Pryde. "And before you ask, no, girls did not find me attractive."

Pryde swallowed. "I'm sorry to hear that. But did things get better after you left school?"

"I-"

"Let's take a look," the older man interrupted, walking back down the hallway. As he opened the door, Hux blinked. 

He was standing on the M.I.T campus, its imposing structures of metal and concrete towering above the grassy paths. He blinked. It was early evening, and true to form, Massachusettes was covered in a dusting of snow. 

"Hey, Armitage! Wait up!"

Hux turned. He saw his 20-year-old self - tall, thin, imposing - dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt, and a light jacket, stop in the middle of the campus. He turned. "Yes?"

Another 20 year old, a couple of inches taller but with a far broader build, ran up to meet him. "Hey, we're in the same Coding class," he said, gasping. "I'm Ben."

"Hello," Hux said, a little stiffly. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Ben said, nodding. "I was wondering if I could borrow your lecture notes? I had to miss it today, I had a session with my...guidance counsellor."

"Well..." Hux said, pausing. The other man looked at him. "I'll buy you a beer."

"No, no, that's not necessary," Hux said,quickly, pulling out several sheets of paper from a blue folder. "Here."

Ben looked relieved. "Thank you Armitage, you're a big help."

"Of course," Hux said, and turned to go. 

“Hey!” Ben called after him. 

Hux turned back. “Yes?”

“There's a bar...not too far from here. Its...a rock bar.”

Hux nearly laughed. “Do I look like a metal meathead to you?!”

Ben looked slightly affronted. Hux suddenly noticed the Metallica t-shirt, and faded black jeans. “Well,” Ben said, acidly, “you are wearing black.”

Hux swallowed. “Well...OK. Yes.”

Ben actually smiled. “Cool. Let's go.”

Pryde turned to Hux. “A bit shameful, Armitage. He was trying to be nice to you, and you nearly told him to go.”

Hux glared at the older man. “Its a bit difficult to accept someone being pleasant when you've spent most of your life being treated like a disease.”

Pryde shrugged. “If you say so. Still, what happens?”

Suddenly, they were in a cinder block room. Ben's college room, Hux remembered. He blinked, taking in the wall hangings, the faint smell of cigarette smoke, and the stack of CDs. He looked as his younger self picked one up. _”Nine Inch Nails?!”_ He looked at Ben. 

“Yep.” Ben stretched. “I wanna fuck you like an animal...” He grinned. “You should try that on that tall blonde girl who always looks at you in Data Structures...” 

Hux blanched. “Ben!”

“Sorry, one of Trent Reznor's best lines.” Ben looked sheepish. “I'd start with this perhaps, for casual listening-”

Hux picked up the small plastic case. “ _Houses of the Holy_?”

“Led Zeppelin, one of England's greatest exports.” Ben picked up his cigarette, that was curling into ash, and tapped it into the ash tray. The pile of books that they should be using for their assignment were on the desk, temporarily forgotten. “Still, Christmas. Off topic, what you doing?”

Hux shrugged. “Staying here.”

Ben shook his head. “No no no, you can't do that.” He picked up the cigarette. “Come back with me. Mom will be fine about it, and if Dad's there – so will he.”

“But isn't your mother a Representative?”

“Yeah, but don't let that scare you.” Ben shrugged. “She's given up trying to scare me!”

“I don't want to impose-”

Ben sighed. “You aren't. Trust me.”

Hux blinked as he watched the past tableau unfolding in front of him. “I-I'd forgotten about this.”

Pryde looked at him. “Then what about...this?”

Suddenly, they were in front of a townhouse in Manhatten. Hux watched as Ben tried to open the door, only for it to suddenly open and an older man, slightly weather beaten but handsome, clad in a grey t shirt and faded jeans steps out. “Ben!”

“Dad.” Ben offers his hand, but then falls into an awkward embrace. The older man lets go of him, then goes to Hux, offering a hand. “Hey. Armitage, right?”

“Yes,” the younger Hux says, taking the offered hand and shaking it. “Thank you, Mr Solo-”

“Han,” the older man corrected him. “Forget this 'Mr Solo' stuff, you're a friend of my son's, you're very welcome. Let's get you in.”

The older Hux looked at Pryde. “Stop it.”

“Why?” the older man countered. “These are your memories, Armitage. You had a family here. Ben offered you his family. Here, have some more evidence!”

Hux opened his mouth to protest, but suddenly, he was in the kitchen of Ben's family home. Hux saw his younger self sitting at the table, talking to Ben's mother. 

“Leia,” he whispered. She was smiling, resting her hand on his younger self's forearm. 

“So, tell me about your family,” she asked conversationally, getting up to pour more tea into Hux's pale blue mug. “Brothers, sisters?”

Hux shook his head. “Not that I'm aware,” he said, quietly. Leia's face creased in consternation. “Armitage, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-”

“Its fine,” he said, nearly smiling. “My family is somewhat...distant.”

Leia nodded. “My brother and I were seperated when we were born. I was adopted, he went to live with an aunt and uncle. We didn't meet again until we were in our late teens. Bit of a shock.”

Hux was silent. “I- Ben never-” 

“Oh, Ben's very close to Luke,” Leia responded. “But families can be...difficult. What I'm trying to say, Armitage, is you should never feel you're on your own.” She squeezed his arm. “You're always welcome here.”

“Thank you.” Hux's voice was slightly shaky. 

“Now,” Leia said, smiling, “fancy a cookie before my son eats them all?”

“That's a lie, mother,” Ben's voice boomed, as he came into the kitchen. “Total lie!”

Pryde turned to Hux. “Family, Armitage. This was-”

“Yes, thank you,” Hux snapped. “I get it, Pryde. I get it!”

“Do you?” The older man looked at him, intently. “Because, I'm not sure you do.” Pryde shrugged. “But, I'm not giving up on you yet. Perhaps you'll get this...”

Hux blinked. He was suddenly back in The Rising Sun, an off-campus pub that Ben had insisted all the cool kids went to. Hux had gone with him, and the minute he had stepped inside, he'd blinked. 

It was a rock joint. Dark, and smoky, with various individuals trussed up in combinations of lace, leather, and denim. Hux blinked, watching as his younger self went to the bar, and Ben pressed a large glass of something amber into his hand. 

“Beer?” Pryde commented. “Such a rebel!”

Hux scowled. “It was cheap.”

“Not like the girls here,” Pryde noted. “All of them look very...glamorous.”

Hux watched as Ben stopped to chat to pretty brunette, with long trails of eyeliner artfully drawn round her eyes. “Yes, they were-”

Suddenly, he stopped. A very tall young woman, clad in black jeans, a soft grey t-shirt, and black leather jacket and platinum blonde hair was approaching his younger self. She was carrying a glass filled with reddish liquid.

As if in a trance, Hux watched as his younger turned to her. 

“You knew her?”

“Yes,” Hux murmured. “She was in one of my classes. We...”

He stopped, watching as his younger self smiled at her, if a little cautiously. Pryde looked at him. “And we...what?”

“Well, we...”

“Armitage!” Pryde looked at him in delight. “Are you telling me...you actually had a relationship?!”

Hux swallowed. “I, well-”

“Well, I have to find out!” Pryde announced. 

“No, you don't!” Hux snapped. “Its nothing to do with you!”

Pryde looked at him. “Oh, really? What happened?”

“We...” Hux felt his voice tail off. There seemed no point in actually admitting what had happened. That the interest at University had quickly died once they'd moved into the real world. Hux flinched, remembering how Phasma had all but thrown a bottle of whiskey at him. He shook his head, trying to force away the memory. 

“Good night, Hux.”

Hux blinked as Pryde turned, melting into the wall. He turned, and suddenly, he was back in his office building. 

“Hello?” Hux called, feeling a sense of nervousness. His hands were shaking slightly, and as if on autopilot, he turned towards his own office door. Opening it, he switched on the desk light, and headed for the small cupboard next to the desk. Pulling out the decanter, he poured himself a glass, watching the amber liquid stream into the glass. 

He picked it up, swirled it, and took a sip. The familiar feeling of warmth crept down his throat, winding its way through his system. He sighed, and took another sip.

“Haven't you had enough, Armitage?”


End file.
